High Spartan standards take Volleyball, Cross Country and Football into postseason
BY FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
St. Joseph-Ogden Volleyball
SJ-O is heading into the postseason with a 16-match winning streak and a school-record-tying 31 victories this season.
The Spartans won all five matches on Saturday to emerge triumphant in the Mount Pulaski Tournament.
SJ-O lost its opening game to Mount Zion, then reeled off wins in 10 consecutive games to claim first place.
For the day, Emily Bigger delivered 97 assists and added 31 digs.
Kennedi Burnett pounded 31 kills, Payton Vallee had 28 kills, Katelyn Berry had 24 kills, Lacey Kaiser had 22 kills and Stephanie Trame added 11 kills.
Rylee Stahl led with five service aces. Burnett, Kaiser and Kenly Taylor chipped in with four aces apiece. Lindsey Aden had three aces.
Other defensive leaders were Stahl with 46 digs, Burnett with 27 digs, Aden with 21 digs and Taylor with 19 digs.
The Spartans’ pool play wins were 20-25, 25-23, 15-12 over Mount Zion, 25-5, 25-17 over Illini Central and 25-18, 25-12 over Olympia.
In the semifinals, SJ-O handled Shelbyville 25-9, 25-14. The championship match brought back a rematch with Mount Zion and SJ-O prevailed, 25-19, 25-15.
On Thursday, Bigger dealt out 29 assists as the Spartans posted a sweep, 25-17, 25-19 at Monticello.
SJ-O finishes in second place in the Illini Prairie Conference season with a 9-1 record. St. Thomas More was 10-0 in league play.
Burnett powered her way for 11 kills and contributed nine digs at Monticello. Stahl added seven digs.
The Spartans are 31-4 overall and return to action on Tuesday in the semifinals of the Oakwood Class 2A regional against an opponent to be determined.
The 30-win season is the school’s third in the past four years. The 31 wins ties a school record set by the 2016 team.
St. Joseph-Ogden Girls’ cross-country
Five St. Joseph-Ogden girls entered the finish chute within 45 seconds of one another on Saturday, helping the Spartans place third at the Tuscola Class 1A regional, securing them a team bid to the sectional.
SJ-O qualified for the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional on Saturday, Nov 2. The girls’ race will start at 10 a.m.
Senior Jillian Plotner was the team leader, clocking a 3-mile time of 19 minutes, 10.71 seconds. She placed ninth.
Four other teammates ended among the top 21 in a field of 74 participants.
Sophomore Ashlyn Lannert was 16th in 19:43.12, sophomore Ava Knap was 19th in 19:48.98, sophomore Malorie Sarnecki was 20th in 19:54.86 and senior Ally Monk was 21st in 19:55.22.
The rest of the Spartans’ regional lineup consisted of sophomore Addie Allen (27th in 20:16.84) and sophomore Kailyn Ingram (30th in 20:43.43).
In the regional team chase, Monticello was first with 37 points, followed by Unity (47 points), SJ-O (85 points) and St. Thomas More (87 points).
At sectional, SJ-O will be seeking its 25th team state berth in the past 31 years. For each of the past 12 years, SJ-O has sent its entire girls’ team to state.
St. Joseph-Ogden Boys’ cross-country
SJ-O’s top five runners registered times within 55 seconds of each other on Saturday in the Tuscola Class 1A Regional, helping the entire team continue its season.
The Spartans took fifth in the regional and will move on to the Effingham St. Anthony Sectional. The boys’ race will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The team’s veterans set the pace at the regional for a youthful group of sophomores who followed.
Junior Brandon Mattsey covered the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 44.04 seconds and ended in 10th place in a field of 92 runners. Senior Eric Poe was 14th in 17:03.31.
They were followed in succession by four sophomores: Charlie Mabry was 20th in 17:15.06, Elijah Mock was 24th in 17:26.59, Luke Stegall was 29th in 17:39.24 and Braden Clampitt was 35th in 18:02.21.
The team’s other regional competitor was freshman Ethan Blackburn, who was 44th in 18:39.79.
At sectional, SJ-O will be chasing its 22nd team state berth and the sixth in the past seven seasons.
Monticello was the regional champion, totaling 28 points. They Sages were followed in the team race by Urbana Uni High (83), Paxton-Buckley-Loda (95), Unity (95) and SJ-O (97).
St. Joseph-Ogden Football
The Spartans were held scoreless for three quarters on Friday at Monticello and dropped a 35-6 decision to the Sages. Monticello carried a 28-0 lead into the final period.
Despite the loss, the 5-4 Spartans were chosen for the playoffs and a 1 p.m. Saturday first-round Class 3A game at 9-0 Williamsville.
In last week’s Associated Press state poll, Williamsville was ranked as the No. 1 team in Class 3A.
SJ-O coach Shawn Skinner anticipated a matchup like the team drew.
“When you’re 5-4, you understand you’ll get one of the top dogs in the state,” Skinner said. “That’s the bed we made and we’ll lay in it.”
The team’s regular-season finale marked the first entire game without versatile senior standout Brayden Weaver. The 190-pound running back/linebacker suffered a torn ACL, a torn MCL and a torn meniscus in the second quarter of the Week 8 game against Stanford Olympia.
“It’s unfortunate,” Skinner said. “He’s a leader in three sports and he’s a leader in school. He’s a good kid.”
Through eight games, Weaver was the team’s top tackler. His 76 stops were 19 more than any other Spartan. In that same span, he ranked second on the team in rushing, second in scoring and was one of five squad members with at least five pass receptions. Weaver also had one of the team’s four interceptions.
Sophomore Coby Miller filled in at middle linebacker against the Sages and, Skinner said, “had a great second half.”
Miller’s play complemented that of outside linebacker Drew Coursey, whom Skinner said “continues to shine.”
Jarrett Stevenson scored the lone SJ-O touchdown in Week 9, on a 14-yard burst in the game’s last 3 minutes. Stevenson led the team with 67 rushing yards. Miller rushed for 25 yards and Keaton Nolan gained 12 on the ground.
Quarterback Crayton Burnett completed 8 of 21 passes for 51 yards and has thrown for 860 yards during the regular season. Brady Buss hauled in three pass receptions. Miller caught two passes. Finishing with one catch apiece were Payton Cain, Jaden Miller and Ty Pence.
A freshman, Pence has a team-high 15 receptions for the year.
“There were moments that we did good things, but not moments that were sustainable,” Skinner said. “We were not able to convert on third down.”
Skinner hopes his squad members appreciate what they have achieved.
“This is our 30th time in the playoffs in the last 33 years,” he said. “That means we have a high level of standards.
“In football, you have to earn your way into the postseason and this speaks volumes to what the kids have done. I hope the kids understand this is not something to take lightly.”
